


A Little Too Much

by ALittleBirdieToldMeASecret



Series: Undertale Shorts [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Depiction of Depression, Fluff, Gen, Underfell, depiction of a panic attack, depiction of sensory overload, mentions of Chara and Asriel, self deprication
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:21:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23993698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ALittleBirdieToldMeASecret/pseuds/ALittleBirdieToldMeASecret
Summary: Papyrus is the reincarnation of the energizer bunny, he never stops.  So what happens when an immovable object meets and unstoppable force?Sensory overload, apparently.
Relationships: Papyrus & Sans (Undertale), Papyrus & Toriel (Undertale)
Series: Undertale Shorts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676344
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	A Little Too Much

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve always been partial to the idea that Papyrus is either autistic or has ADHD, so why not his counterparts?

Gyftmas was a time for celebration.They hadn’t celebrated it Underground, but the older monsters, few as there were, were quick to endorse Frisk’s reintroduction of the holiday to monster tradition.

Of course, it had to be hosted at Toriel’s new surface home, the only one big enough to house such a menagerie.Along with the help of the human child and his brother, the four of them had done a miraculous job preparing on short notice.

And for all intents and purposes, it was going off without a hitch.Monsters of all walks of life stopped by, delivering well wishes, gifts, dishes, staying to enjoy the music and conversation, leaving as quickly at they’d arrived.It was so unlike anything he’d ever seen in the Underground - and it was his responsibility to keep it that way.

Cycling between the living room, dining room, and kitchen, he let himself get caught up in conversation between rounds, but this time, he couldn’t escape.He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten trapped by the other ex-guards, but they’d cheerily adopted him into their conversation before he could return to checking the drink stock.

Each attempt made to excuse himself was thwarted, and tension began working its way up his spine, across his shoulders.Well intentioned as it may be, they were in the living room, and when had so many monsters gotten here?The room shrunk around them as somehow more seemed to squeeze in.

The laughter beside him boomed, piercing the already lively atmosphere.He flinched as another shouting voice followed it.His eyes unfocused, searching the dog monster’s face for anything, anything at all for his attention to cling to.Tried reading his lips, deciphering what was just said, had it been to him?Was everyone in the room watching them?It was getting louder, magic agitatedly stirring up his spine, burning through his rib cage.They were staring at him, expectantly.What had they asked him?What could he possibly-

“Ah, Papyrus, there you are.”

A soft voice cut through the clamor, practically whispered beside his skull.Spinning on his heel, his eyes briefly unfocused at the supple white fur hardly centimeters from his face.She stepped backed almost as quickly, smile warm and easy, entirely unlike the nerve-wracked one she usually wore.

A name as familiar as her face sat at the tip of his tongue but just out of reach.Thankfully, she didn’t give him the chance to fumble over a greeting.

“Would you mind to help me with something upstairs?”

He could only stare at her dumbly for another fleeting moment before her words finally sunk in, “Yes, yes, of course...” but she was patient, offering an encouraging nod before turning to mull them past the guests to the stairwell.

The sound was still buzzing in his skull, teetering on overwhelming, his long earned skill of sharp hearing working against him as it felt as though he could hear every spoken word with excruciating clarity, understanding none of them.The low creak of the stairs couldn’t decide whether to add intensity or distract, so he did his best to focus on watching the light fabric at the end to his lead’s dress, dancing carefully over her heels with each step.

By the time they’d reached the second level, the mess of sound had inverted, becoming a numb, echoing static.So  loud , his bone chilled through to the marrow as he fought for each hard won breath.He hadn’t realized they’d stepped into a room until the loud click of a door closing crackled through his un-thoughts, snapping his attention to the boss monster standing before the door.The calm hadn’t left her expression, but her brows were furrowed, more in line with her usual smile, and it betrayed her concern.But for whatever reason, he couldn’t ask her what she was doing, why she looked so sad, nor why she was stepping closer, her hands didn’t touch as she guided him to the bed- they were in a bedroom? -and his words failed him still when her mouth moved, with a strange, mumbled sound.

_What? _He wanted to ask her.He didn’t.Couldn’t.

She shook her head gently, taking a slow breath, and when had that static begun drowning everything out?It was so loud, it was so, terribly, uncomfortably loud-

“Papyrus?” Again, that whisper soft voice.How it had managed to break through was a mystery.But his own still couldn’t.A blink would have to suffice.

That seemed to soothe her worry, if even by a tiny fraction, and she nodded again.

“Would you like a blanket?”

He wasn’t cold, not at all, and he was far from ticklish, but upon being asked, he was shocked to realize how the air itself pricked at his bones.It felt too hot, too cold, too humid, too on him, too  _something_ , and it was all he could muster to nod meekly.

With measured movements, Toriel retrieved the throw at the end of the bed, careful again not to touch as she beat it against the air once before draping it conscientiously over his shoulders.

It was soft, but not much better, straining the threadbare fabric taut and clenching firmly on what he could gather in hopes of snuffing out the pins and needles raking him.Magic roiled through his body, thick in his throat, in his mouth, his mind clawing desperately to locate anything, everything, too much, he could feel his soul race and hear the house settle and hear the distant chatter of voices and glasses and steps, the steady breathing of that before him, her soul, her restless settling and it was  _too much **too much -**_

“I know, sometimes, your brother forgets.And I’m doubtful Undyne even knew to begin with.”

Again her voice cut into the white noise, fuzzy and unclear, but intelligible.

“But being as old as I am has it’s advantages...”

He could  feel how hazy his vision was, but he struggled his focus onto her.Whatever she was talking about didn’t matter he just needed something,  _something_ to focus on.

“One of them being that I can tell your own age.”

Breath hitched in his throat, magic threatening to choke him,  _what is she talking about?What does she mean?Age, she’s talking about his age.Why?_

“So young.So very young.And so much....” _LV_ “You’ve been through so much.”

For some reason, he wanted to laugh.He could feel the noise well in his chest, to his jaw, only forcing him to clench it tighter.Maybe he wanted to yell?Was he angry?

“You remind me of them, sometimes.You, and your brother.You...”

_Oh_.He was still looking at her.She looked sad.

“I should’ve realized sooner, being that as it may.”

The magic waned slightly, finally finding his concentration on her soft features.Her fur almost glowed in the low light of the bedroom.They were in a bedroom.He was on a bed.Her bed?

“They’re name...Chara...”

Breath evening, he watched her, captivated.Tears welled in the corners of her eyes as she looked away, “I haven’t spoken it in so long, please excuse me,” but they never fell.

“They had a similar problem, I suspect perhaps the same?”

Problem? The child, her child had had a problem, similar to...him? His problem...

“Always so friendly, so happy to meet new monsters, but...they were overwhelmed so easily...”

_His problem._

Shame washed over him like ice cold water, the reality of the situation cementing itself firmly atop the desperate hands of said problem not yet willing to fully release him.A shudder passed through him as he ducked his head in humiliation.

“Such a unique child.”

Whether she’d noticed his horror was not given away by her tone, wistful, elsewhere.

“So much hope.Always ready and willing to help whom they cared about.Asriel learned much from them...”

He dared a glance back up to her, met with a kind smile, and in her eyes he could see she was here again.Could she see the same?

“Yes, I think you two are very similar in many ways.”

_Oh_.

Normally, he strove to be careful, so aware of his autonomy, yet whatever she could see on his face now was a mystery to him.All he could feel was pathetic.Had they still been Underground, should he have slipped up so carelessly in a room full of monsters, he’d be in a dustpan by now.

But again, she gave little acknowledgment aside from something akin to reassurance.It made sense to him now, why she’d stayed in the Ruins for all of those years.

His jaw parted, but he was fiercely reminded that he’d not yet recovered when no sound came to him, trembling with effort before Toriel shook her head slowly.

“It’s alright, my child, you need more time.”

He’d forced his way to the end of this tunnel alone several times before, but there was something in her eyes that told him he would not be returning until she deemed him ready.Nodding weakly, her smile softened, but the peaceful quiet that followed soon turned violent.The frayed edges of his mind began unraveling once again, his attention slipping messily from his grasp. 

It was with Herculean effort that he cleared his throat, albeit too harshly, and returned her thoughtful gaze, “P-p-pleasse, k-keep t-ta-tallking.”

Surprise flickered across her face, shifting easily to understanding as her soothing voice filled the remaining empty space.

She told him about what gifts she’d picked out for Frisk, how she’d made their scarf, where the blanket wrapped around him, one of her favorites, had come from, and slowly but surely, he could feel his chest ease and pulse steady.It no longer felt too quiet or too loud or too much and she answered any half stuttered questions with patience and sincerity.

And he’d have to remember, come tomorrow, to ask her more about this... _problem_ , he didn’t trust his mind not to relapse should he think about it now.And perhaps she would help him, even though he shouldn’t, should’ve learned on his own to combat it better by now.But any chance he’d have at sealing this weakness was one he should take, even if it was pathetic.

But right now, he didn’t think about that.Just focused on the sound of her voice, her smile, the warmth, so rarely did she seem to peaceful, and if taking care of him helped her, too, then perhaps, it wouldn’t be so bad after all.


End file.
